The 6 Best Motto by Hilton Hotels To Book With Points [For Max Value]

Motto by Hilton offers incredible value for travelers looking for affordable options with a familiar brand.

While the brand has a small footprint, Motto by Hilton has established itself as a solid choice, especially for families.

Below, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about the Motto by Hilton brand and examine some of the best hotels currently open!

Everything You Need To Know About Motto by Hilton

Of Hilton’s many brands, Motto by Hilton is one of the smallest. Founded in 2018, it’s among the hotel chain’s newest brands and has just 8 properties open. However, with over 20 properties in development, Motto by Hilton is shaping up to be one of Hilton’s fastest-growing new brands.

Motto by Hilton focuses on an experience where guests can “live like a local” in buzzy destinations. Some brand signatures of the Motto by Hilton include compact guest rooms, communal spaces, and a coffee house and bar for work and leisure. 

Bottom Line:

Motto is also known for its connecting rooms program — which Hilton calls the first of its kind — where guests can connect up to 9 rooms together, all on the same reservation. 

Hilton Honors Credit Cards

Hilton Honors members can accelerate their Hilton Honors points earnings with a Hilton co-branded credit card. In addition to increased earnings at Hilton properties, members can also take advantage of complimentary elite status. Some cards also come with statement credits and free night rewards.

These are some of the best credit cards for Hilton loyalists:

Free Night Rewards

Hilton offers Free Night Rewards that cover the cost of a room. These rewards can be used at participating Motto by Hilton properties. They are an excellent option if you want to save cash or don’t have enough Hilton Honors points on hand.

Depending on which American Express Hilton Honors credit card you have, you may be eligible for a Free Night Reward each year after card renewal or after spending at least a certain amount on the card during the year. One of our favorite Hilton cards that offers a Free Night Award is the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card. 

Another way to earn a Free Night Award is with a welcome offer on a Hilton Honors credit card after meeting a minimum spend requirement during a specific timeframe.

• Hilton Honors American Express Card: Earn 70,000 points plus a Free Night Reward after spending $2,000 in purchases on the card in the first 6 months.
• Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card: Earn 130,000 points plus a Free Night Reward after spending $3,000 in purchases in the first 6 months.

As you’ll see below, Motto’s portfolio doesn’t include many costly properties like you’d see at a Waldorf Astoria or Conrad hotel. Still, you may come across dates (especially around major holidays) when using a Free Night Reward makes the most sense.

The information regarding Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

Hot Tip:

You’ll earn an additional Free Night Reward if you spend $30,000 in a calendar year and another when you spend $60,000 on purchases in a calendar year on the Hilton Aspire card. If you have the Hilton Surpass card, you can earn a Free Night Reward after spending $15,000 in a calendar year.

The 6 Best Motto by Hilton Redemptions

1. Motto by Hilton New York City Times Square (New York, U.S.)

Here at Upgraded Points, we’re big fans of the Motto by Hilton New York Times Square. One of the brand’s flagship properties, it opened last fall to much fanfare.

The 400-room hotel is located in the center of Times Square, near many popular attractions like Times Square, Broadway, the famous Disney Store, M&M’s New York, and is a few short blocks from Rockefeller Center. 

The hotel’s rooms are tiny — a brand staple and a feature for Manhattan hotels — though they are smartly designed with Murphy, bunk, or standard queen-size beds. Up to 9 rooms can be connected. Amenities include a restaurant, a bar, and a small fitness center with Peloton machines.

While the hotel charges a destination fee, it covers a fair bit — especially for a hotel in the Big Apple. The fee includes premium internet access, a daily $10 food and beverage credit, 1 Crunch Fitness pass, 1 Citi Bike rental unlimited pass, and 2 bottled waters.

Motto Times Square is perhaps one of the most expensive hotels in the brand’s portfolio. For dates this fall and winter, you can expect to pay between $250 and $500 per night. Award nights are standard across the board at 80,000 points per night for a standard room, making Motto Times Square a perfect candidate to redeem a Free Night Reward.

2. Motto by Hilton Tulum (Mexico)

Many hotel chains, including Hilton, have planted flags in the bustling Tulum region in recent years. This is especially true as the new Felipe Carrillo Puerto Airport (TQO) has opened just 24 miles from Tulum’s center.

Motto by Hilton Tulum is a mixed-used lifestyle space featuring 2 rooftop infinity pools with views of the jungle. Rooms are small but are tastefully designed in dark wood features, owing to the hotel’s jungle location. Amenities include a small pool, a fitness center, a rooftop dinner complete with a Mayan ceremony, and access to 2 nearby beach clubs for guests. The hotel is also connected to Tulum’s first shopping mall.

Rates at this hotel are dirt cheap: standard rooms range from $90 to $115 nightly. The low cash prices make the hotel an excellent candidate for a mattress run if you’re trying to get or keep Hilton Honors status. If you want to use points, you’ll find awards from 34,000 points nightly — an absolute steal for one of the most popular travel destinations in Latin America.

3. Motto by Hilton Washington DC City Center

As a frequent traveler to Washington, D.C., where much of my family is based, I’m all too aware of how expensive hotels in the nation’s capital can be. This is the case whether you’re paying cash or spending points.

However, the Motto by Hilton Washington DC City Center offers an affordable option for leisure and business travelers alike. The hotel is Motto’s first and opened for guests back in 2020. The hotel is located in the heart of downtown D.C., directly across the street from the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro, which serves 4 Metro lines.

Amenities include a subterranean whiskey bar serving up Southern cuisine, a fitness center, and meeting spaces.

Rooms at the Motto D.C. average around $220 per night, though on some dates, they can be nearly $400 per night. You’ll find some award nights from 27,000 points per night but expect to pay up to 50,000 points per night to stay here.

4. Motto by Hilton Rotterdam Blaak

The 108-room Motto by Hilton Rotterdam Blaak — the debut of the brand in the Netherlands — is within walking distance of popular tourist destinations such as Market Hall, Cube Houses, and Old Harbour. The main transit station is just a 5-minute walk from the hotel.

Motto Rotterdam is in a converted bank and features an all-day dining area. The hotel also has a communal space dubbed the “Motto Commons” (a brand staple), where guests can work and unwind with food and drinks. Rooms are compact but can be connected through the brand’s Connected Rooms program. 

Cash rates start at around $100 per night. Award nights begin at around 23,000 Hilton Honors points per night, the cheapest of the Motto hotels on this list. 

5. Motto by Hilton New York City Chelsea

There are 2 Motto by Hilton properties in the Big Apple, the biggest indication that Hilton sees the brand as a major part of its future.

The Motto by Hilton New York City Chelsea is located south of Times Square and is 2 blocks from Madison Square Park and the Flatiron Building. It offers a pretty good selection of room types, and some offer pristine views of the Manhattan skyline. 

Amenities include a coffee bar, a restaurant serving Italian cuisine, a fitness center, meeting spaces, and more. There’s also room service, which is a rarity for a mid-tier hotel brand. 

Rates here are pretty steep, with standard rooms ranging from $250 to nearly $500 per night for dates this fall. Award nights start at 61,000 points per night, which is pretty decent, especially in New York City.

6. Motto by Hilton Philadelphia Rittenhouse Square

The last hotel on our list is the Motto by Hilton Philadelphia Rittenhouse Square. For a Motto hotel, this property offers the largest rooms, with queen rooms ranging between 175 and 200 square feet and studios ranging from 310 to 320 square feet. You’ll find a variety of configurations, from standard beds to bunk beds and studios.

The hotel also offers the most robust amenity offerings: a fitness center, a rooftop, and 3 dining options. You’ll be in the heart of the City of Brotherly Love, just a few blocks from shopping, dining, and museums and a mile away from 30th Street Amtrak station.

Prices at the Motto Philadelphia aren’t the cheapest — you’ll find cash rates from $200 to more than $350 per night for dates this fall. However, if you want to use Hilton Honors points, redemptions start at 37,000 per night.

Final Thoughts

Motto by Hilton is a fairly new Hilton Honors brand, and while it isn’t the fanciest, it offers incredible value for travelers who value good locations, affordable pricing, and thoughtful amenities. We hope this guide was helpful as you book your next trip at a Motto by Hilton hotel!